During the 'initiating a project' process, the team expects local heritage-protection groups to oppose the proposal. The Heritage Director suggests waiting until the groups contact the project. Instead, the project manager asks the Heritage Manager to identify groups known from previous work, and the manager supplies a list.
Is this an appropriate approach to leading successful change, and why?

• A. No, because early identification of an opposing group will necessarily increase its opposition
• B. Yes, because identifying a stakeholder guarantees that the stakeholder will support the project and its business case
• C. No, because stakeholder identification should not take place during project initiation
• D. Yes, because the project manager is using existing stakeholder knowledge to identify affected and influential groups proactively

Before the end of stage 2, the project board authorizes a change that adds more trees and seating to the external landscaping. The change can be delivered in stage 3 without any forecast breach of project tolerance.
While preparing the next stage plan, the project manager incorporates the additional products and work, updates the relevant product descriptions and product register entries, and reviews whether the project initiation documentation needs to be updated.
Is this an appropriate application of 'prepare the next stage plan', and why?

• A. No, because authorized changes should remain outside the next stage plan until the project has been re- authorized by the business layer
• B. Yes, because the next stage plan should reflect authorized changes, with affected product information and the project initiation documentation updated where necessary
• C. No, because project assurance should prepare the next stage plan and update the affected product information independently of the project manager
• D. Yes, because every authorized change must be implemented through an exception plan before the related work may enter the following stage

At the end of the initiation stage, the Regeneration Manager submits the project plan and business case for review. The Portfolio Director releases funding for both stages 2 and 3 and instructs the project manager to provide only a progress report at the end of stage 2, without a project board decision before stage 3 begins.
Is this an appropriate application of the 'manage by stages' principle, and why?

• A. Yes, because the project manager is authorized to manage the project on a day-to-day basis within set tolerances throughout each stage, without requiring additional project board decisions
• B. No, because it is the City Council, rather than the Portfolio Director, that should hold the authority to commit funding across multiple stages of the project
• C. Yes, because the Portfolio Director, as the commissioning authority, has the right to determine the reporting frequency and format that best suit portfolio-level oversight
• D. No, because the project board must review the continued viability of the business case and authorize the next stage at each stage boundary, rather than approving multiple stages in advance

During the 'starting up a project' process, the Business Opportunities Director appoints the Regeneration Manager as project manager and states that the portfolio's standard role description will apply without discussion. The Regeneration Manager asks to confirm the responsibilities, but the Director refuses because the project is urgent.
Is the refusal an appropriate application of the 'define roles, responsibilities and relationships' principle, and why?

• A. No, because each project manager must have a clear understanding of their own individual responsibilities and formally accept those responsibilities before commencing project work
• B. Yes, because standardized portfolio role descriptions give every project manager a consistent and well- understood baseline of responsibilities, removing the need for individual discussion
• C. No, because it is the portfolio manager's role, rather than the project executive's, to define the project manager's responsibilities for projects within the portfolio
• D. Yes, because it is the project executive's responsibility to appoint the project manager and establish their responsibilities as part of the 'starting up a project' process

The Chief Technology Officer is an influential stakeholder who strongly supports several unproven technologies for the shopping centre. Concerned about delivery risk and reputation, the project executive asks the project manager to limit the CTO's contact with the project team and other stakeholders.
Is this an appropriate approach to leading successful change, and why?

• A. Yes, because restricting the CTO's involvement would protect the project's reputation from untested proposals
• B. No, because the project manager should record the technological concerns only as risks requiring formal responses
• C. Yes, because influential stakeholders should be excluded when their preferred solutions create delivery uncertainty
• D. No, because the CTO should remain engaged so that their influence can support adoption across the organizational ecosystem